Pneumatic well drilling apparatus



June 7, 1932. M. c. EDMUNDS 1,362,260

PNEUMATIC WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1950 4' Sheets-Sheet 1 I q; INVENTOR.

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A TTORNEYJ PNEUMATIC WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 {7' ATTORNEYS June 7, 1932. Q EDMUNDS 1,862,260

PNEUMATIC WELL DRILLING APPARATU Filed Nov. 10. 1930 4Sheets-Sheet 4 71'MMEW 1A TTORNEYJ Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARSHALL C. EDMUNDS, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, .ASSIGNOB 0]! ON E-HALI TOWILLIA! I.

' SIIM'JRALL, OF GOVINGTON, KENTUCKY PNEUMATIC WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Application filed. November 10, 1980. Serial No. 494,590.

My invention relates to pneumatic well drilling apparatus and particularly to improvements in the construction of the well pipe assembly, the arrangements for lowering the well pipe into the well, and to the arrangement for supplying slush to the drilling bit.

In the art it has been suggested to employ the well known principles of pneumatic drilling and apply these principles to the drilling of deep wells, but as faras I am aware, no one has provided a well pipe or drop pipe assembly which enables well pipe sections to be conveniently connected so as to allow an extension of the compressed air supply pipe, the exhaust pipe from the pneumatic hammer, and the provision ofaslush supply passage in a'simple operation.

It is the object of my invention, therefore, to provide a pneumatic well drilling assembly in which previously assembled well drill pipe sections may be coupled together by a simple threading and packing operation, in which a continuous passage is provided for the supply. of compressed air, for the exhaust of the air from the pneumatic hammer, and for the supplying of slush to lubricate the drill bit/so that it can eificiently perform its drill function.

It is further my object to provide drill pipe sections in which sleeve packers are formed, in which packing can be compressed so as to form air tight connections between the supply of pneumatic fluid, the exhaust, and the mud supply. 7

It's further a specific object of my invention to provide a novel pneumatic hammer and drill bit assembly in which the mud supply is directed close to the drill bit so as to properly lubricate the same, and at the same Mme to have a cooling efiect. The?" above objects I and other objects to which'i'eference will be made in the ensuing disclosure, I accomplish by that certain combination and arrangement'of parts of. which I have shown a preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the drill bit assembly arid continuation of the ipvell under the general lay out view shown in Figure 3 is a sectional view of a preferred type of swivel joint to be attached to the pufiey for raising and lowering sa ine in the we s Figure 4 is a sectional view of the drill stem through which rotary movement is communicated to the drill pipe.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5, 5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a preferred type of drill pipe.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the .6

the lines 13, 13 in Fig. 11.

Referring first to Figure 1, I have shown the usual supportingframe work 1 in which a pulley 2 is suspended by a cable 3 which passes over a'pulle 4, and in which the' cable may be raised an lowered by means of a hoist drum .5 operatively connected with a rotary engine indicated at 6.

I provide an air compressor 7 through which compressed air is delivered through the pipe 8 to a hose connection 9. A slush pump 10 pumps the mud or slush through a pipe lllto the-slush hose 12.

Referring to Figure 3, itwill be observed that the swivel connection for the inlet air supply and the slush is supported 13, extending down as shown in ley 2, and that the air supply hose connects with a goose neck 15,:md that the slush'apply hose 12 connects with the goose neck 16.

The bail 13 is ordinarily non-rotatable so ya bail igure 1 9 from a yoke 14 extendmgdown from the pulthatin order to insure easy rotation of the drill pipe, the swivel connection has ball bearings 17 which enable the bushing 18 to swivel freely in the casing 19, to WlIICh the goose necks and 16 are connected.

prevented by the packing nuts 24.- Tothe lower end of the casing 20 a short nipple is threaded, to which the rotary section of the drill pipe is connected by means of a coupling 26 The exhaust air from the pneumatic hammer passes upwardly through the intermediate annular opening between theouter wall of the pipe 23 and the exhaust pipe 27 which is concentric with the pipe 23.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that a reinforcing disc 28 is welded to the nipple 25, and that there are extensions of the ipes 23 and 27 which have annular shoulders 30 and 31 respectively.

Referring now to Fi ure 4, it will be noted that the first section 0 the well pipe is coupled with a coupling 32, and that the first section of the well pipe has a reinforcing disc 33 welded within it through which the pipes 34 and 35 extend. The extensions of the pipes 23 and 27 fit within the pipes 34 and 35, and the shoulders 30 and 31 provide packing chambers which are suitably packed.

i The driving pipe 36, which 1s connected to the swivel connection by means of the couplin 32, has a series of angular plates 37 wel ed to it so as to form a pipe which is square in shape so that it will fit within a rotary table 38 (shown in Fig. 1) and be driven at a desired rate of speed by a belt or chain 39 which, like the cable 3, is driven by I the engine indicated at 6.

With the exception of the bottom or drill bit section-ofpipe, the other pipe sections are similar to the sectional view shown in Figure 6, and the connections between the pipes, with the preferred method of packing the joints, is best indicated in Fig. 11.

Referring to Figure 6, the outer casing is indicated at 36a. Within the casing are the air supply pipes 23a and the exhaustsupply pipes 27a secured in position by reinforcing devices which, as shown in Fig. 13, may take the-form of pins 33a which extend through pipes 27a and have inner ends bearing against the pipes 23a and outer ends bearing against the ipes36a.

T e upper end of each pipe 36a is threaded as indicated in Figure 6, and a steel female coupllng member 34a may be employed for providing a tight connection with the coupling 32a'secured to the lower end of each drop piece assembly. The couplings 32a have upwardly extending internally threaded integrally formed sleeves 35a, 356, into which the threaded lower ends of the plpes 23a, 27a are threaded. The couplings 32a also have downwardly extending integrally formed packing sleeves 35c, 35d with which the upper ends of the next lower pipe section 27 a, 23a form packing chambers filled with packing. Ring nuts 35c, 35; may be employed to hold the packing in position. Referring to Figure 6, the pi are assembled at the factory and comprlse the pipes 360 to the lower end of which is threaded the steel male coupling 32a, with which are integrally formed the elements 35a, 356 350, and 350} which have just been described. The upper end oi? each drop pipe section is provided with a female coupling 34a.

During the construction of the well, as soon as the drill bit has been sufliciently lowered into the well, a new section of pipe may be coupled on in accordance with the usual method of coupling pipes for driving deep wells, the only difference being that the packing 41 must be inserted to provide sealed oints for the -air lines. The driving pipe 36, which is rotated by the table, is first elevated and disconnected from the drop pin section which is held up out of the wellby suitable clamps.- The driving pipe is then further elevated and lowered out of the way. A new drop pipe .section is then connected to the drop pipe extending within the well. The coupled drop pipes are then lowered, after which the driving pipe 36 is again elevated and connected onto the new drop pipe section, after which drilling operations may again be started.

Referring now to the drill bitcasing, I have illustrated the outer pipe 36?) within which is preferably welded a casing 33a which has upwardly extending annular sleeves 34b and 340 which form a packing seal with the downwardly extending packing sleeves 35c, 35d at the lower end of the pipe section to which the drill bit casing as connected. I

A cylinder 43 is welded or formed integrally wit the pipe 36b which provides a cylinder 44 within which the piston 45 is reciprocated with a vibratory motion, thus vibrating the upper end 46 of the drill bit housing 47.

ompressed air passing down through pipe.

23a passes through the central-passage 48 in the supporting member 33a, and thence through the ports 49 to the valve mechanism (which is of usual type and is indicated at 50) and causes a vibratory reciprocation of the piston 45. The exhaust passes up through the passage 51 into the pipe 27a and thus is returned up through the casing.

The drill bit 52 is s'ecured'to the housing 47 by means of pins 53 in the usual manner.

The slushing mudpassing down throu the annular passage between the inner wall of the ipes 36a and the outer walls of the pipes 2 0, extends down through passages 54 arranged on opposite walls of pipe 366 and is thus discharged through the rts'55 close to the drill bit so that the slushmg mud is conducted to a position in which it lubricates the drill bit freely, and bein dischar d close to the drill bit is not rea' ily bloc ed up 1and further tends to keep the drill bit coo It will be observed from the construction described that I have provided well drilling apparatus in which the pipe sections may be readily coupled together and in which leakproof joints are provided so that there is little chance of the apparatus getting out of order. The waste mud passes upwardly in the annular passage between the outer walls of the well pipe and the inner walls of the drilled hole. Referring to Figure 2, the wasteslushing mud would pass upwardly throu the annular channel 56 and be returns to the sump 42.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In well drop pipe comprising an outer casing, concentric inner pipe casings retained permanently within said outer casing, and reinforcing members permanentl secured at the ends of the drop pipe provi ed with means for forming packed joints between the several casing sections forming said drop pipe.

2. n pneumatic well drilling apparatus, a well drop pipe comprising an outer casing, concentric inner pipe casings retained permanently within said outer casing, and reinforcing members permanentl secured at the ends of the drop pit 'provi ed with means for forming packs joints between the several casing sections formin said drop pipe, said means comprising pac er sleeves extending from said reinforcm members.

3. In pneumatic we 1 drilling apparatus, a well op pipe comprising an outer casing, concentric inner pipe casings retained rmanently within said outer casing, and reinforcing members permanently secured at the ends of the drop p' provided with meansfor forming packed joints between the several casing sections formin means comprising-pee er sleeves extending from said reinforcin members said sleeves at one end of said grep pipe being spaced from the sleeves at the other end of said pipe.

4. In pneumatic well drilling apparatus, a series 0 well drop pipes coupled together,

each pipe comprising an outer casing,-concentric inner casings retained within said outer casing and having coupling members secured at the ends of the pipe provided with means for forming packedjoints between the coupled drop pipes.

pneumatic well drilling apparatus, a

a series of well drop pipes coup said drop pipe, said v 5. In neumatic well drilling a paratus, a series 0? well drop pipes couple together, each pipe comprising an outer casing, concentric inner casings retained within said outer casin and having coupling members secured at t e ends of the ipe provided with integrally formed means or forming packed joints between the coupled drop pipes, said means comprising spaced packing sleeves at opposite ends of each pi I 6. In pneumatic well drilling apparatus, a series 6f well drop pipes coupled together, each pipe comprising an outer casing, concentric inner casings retained within said outer casing and havin reinforcing members secured at the ends of t e pipe provided with means for forming packe joints between the coupled drop pipes, said means comprising spaced packing-sleeves at opposite ends of each pipe, said packing sleeves at one end of the pipe having annular flanged ribs forming packing chambers.

In neumatic well drilling a paratus, a series 0 well drop pipes coupled together, each pipe comprising an outer casing, con centric inner casings retained within said outer casing and havlng reinforcing members secured at the ends of the pipe provided with means for forming packed joints between the coupled drop p1pes,'means for supplying compressed air to the inner of said casings, means for passing exhaust air through an intermediate casing, and means for supplying slushing mud to the outer of said casings.

8. In neumatic well drilling a paratus, a series 0 well drop pipes coupled together, each pipe comprising an outer casing, concentric inner casings retained within said outer casing and having reinforcing members secured at the ends of the pipe provided with means for forming packedjoints between the coupled drop ipes, and a neumatic hammer drillin unit coupled to a owermost well drop pipe Ear the 1 oses described.

9. In pneumatic w d rillin apparatus, ed together, each pipe comprising an outer casing, concentrio inner casings retained within said outer cas' and having reinforcing members secure at the ends of the i provided with means for forming packe oints between the coupled drop pi es, and a pneumatic drilling unit couple to a lowermost pipe for the purposes described, and a passage extending through said drilling casing from said outer casing, said passage extendin into proximity to the lower end of said drilling casing.

10. Pneumatic well drilling apparatus comprising in combination, a series of well pipes coupled together, each well pi having an integrally welded compressed air passage, an outer lubricating passage'and an intermediate exhaust air passage.

11. Pneumatic well drilling apparatus well drop 2Q 13. Pneumatic well comprisin in combination, a-series of well pipes coup ed to ether, each well pipe having an integrall we ded compressed air passage,

an outer lu ricating passage and an inter- 5 mediate exhaust air passage, each of said pipes being provided at its ends with means for sealing said passages when one pipe is coupled to another.

12. Pneumatic well drilling apparatus 10 comprising in combination, a series of well pipes coup ed to ether, each well pipe having an integrally we ded compressed air passage, an outer lubricating passage and an intermediate exhaust air passage, each of said pipes 5 being provided at its ends with means for sealing said passages when one pipe is couled to another, said means com rising bracmg members having concentrica ly arranged packer sleeves.

drilling apparatus comprising in combination, a series of well pipes coupled together, each well pipe having an integrally we ded compressed airpassage, an outer lubricating passage and an intermediate exhaust air passage, and a well drill casin secured to a lowermost well pipe provide with a passage therein extending to the lowermost end of said well drill casin so MARSHALL C. ED DS. 

